Dustin Duff, Realtor Associate RE/MAX MOMENTUM

How did the real estate franchisors stack up in 2017?

It may be surprising, with the wide array of real estate franchises and large brokerages’ growing market share, that less than half — only 43 percent — of the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 1.2 million members work under a franchise banner, according to the trade group’s 2017 Member Profile. That leaves the majority of Realtors flying their own flags with independent firms.

Still, the question remains: Which franchise is the largest, and who is experiencing growth in this increasingly competitive space? Corporate earnings season gives us a window into how certain companies are performing every quarter, while another source of insights is NAR’s biennial 2017 Residential Franchise Report. Released this fall and covering a total of 32 different companies, including Re/Max, Keller Williams, and the franchises falling under the Realogy umbrella, the report measures the franchisors by total number of agents, offices, fee structure and more.